The holidays are the season of giving
The most wonderful time of year is here and now’s the best time to think about meaningful ways you can give back. We want to encourage you to set aside some time to give back to your community. Follow some of our simple ways that you can make a difference this year. While most individuals may look forward to winter holidays, many families and people
lack the means to provide an adequate meal or gifts for their loved ones. You can spread holiday cheer by participating in some of these ABBM Foundation suggested ideas and truly make a difference and put a smile on someone’s face. This holiday season give the gift of hope to families and children in your community and keep in mind The ABBMF has opportunities for you to get involved year-around.
Amazon Smile Make giving a part of what you naturally do when you purchase gifts on Amazon Smile. Amazon Smile features the same products and prices as Amazon; however, customers are able to select a charitable organization to receive .5% of the overall purchase price. Select The Andrew Brugal Baldwin Memorial Foundation (ABBMF) or one of your choice when you sign up and start shopping today.
Food and gift drives
Support a network by donating Christmas meals and holiday gifts. Families accepted into our “Adopt-a-Family” initiative are experiencing extraordinary hardships due to job loss, illness, natural disasters or other circumstances. Without the generosity of individuals, residents and companies, many families would go without. You can bring joy and cheer to those in need by joining our food and gift drive or even hosting your own.
Give Blood
The holiday season is busy with preparations, traveling and gift buying. The American Red Cross is always in need of blood and platelet donations, but especially during the holiday season. Visit www.redcross.org/give-blood to find a blood drive near you.
Make-A-Wish
The well-established and super inspirational Make-A-Wish organization grants the wish of a child diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, on average, every 38 minutes. That statistic is just, wow. So powerful. For the holiday period, the nonprofit sells holiday cards, which you can buy along with a donation to support these special wish experiences.
Toy Drives
The ABBMF collects new, unwrapped toys and distributes them as holiday gifts to terminally ill children at local hospitals and also to the less fortunate children. You can also join the Toys-for Tots hosted by the Marine Corps Reserve Unit. You can find them at Toys for Tots. You choose and pay for a toy online and the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve distributes the toys across the U.S.
Send Christmas Cards to Seniors
Send cards to lonely seniors. When he was 13-years-old Jacob Cramer started Love for the Elderly, which distributes letters to American seniors via senior centers and nonprofit organizations. You send them your handwritten cards, and they distribute them to seniors. Letters have come in from all over including Asia and Scotland.
Christmas Cards for Hospitalized Children
You can also send mail to Cards for Hospitalized Kids, which delivers the cards to children in US hospitals.
Write Thank You Cards to Service Providers
Write a quick thank you note to the people who serve you every day – mail carrier, trash collectors, etc. This is an especially good activity for our kids to remind them of people they might take for granted.
Write a Note of gratitude to people in your Life
Think of the amazing people in your life. Take an hour to write those people a letter telling them why they’re awesome. Wouldn’t you love to get a letter like that?
More Options
If you’re looking for more options, other great places to contact are your local children’s hospital and your local homeless shelter.
How great is it that our random acts of kindness and good deeds can make someone else’s entire day? Hoping these ideas are helpful and a reminder certainly never hurts.
